Only a Dream
by Greenzaku
Summary: I can lend my heart to her, if only for a night each time. By sunrise she forgets...she must forget! I am Shuuhei, her wildest fantasy, and nothing more than a dream. Shuuhei x Orihime.


**Introduction:**

This is inspired by the fics that I frequently find which come in the format of 'X sentences' or 'Y themes' where X or Y is a number usually greater than ten. I have no idea why this is popular but here is my own experiment with it, with my usual interest in rare pairings.

**Disclaimer:**

Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo.

**Characters/Pairings:**

Shuuhei x Orihime. Hey…it works!

**Warnings:**

Character death, but it's not as angsty as it sounds.

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Knowledge - Hisagi Shuuhei 

I've known her for a long time. I've known her longer than she will ever know me; and it has always been that way because she forgets; she _must_ forget. Come to think of it, who really knows me? Ask Renji, Kira or Hinamori; and they will all say they know me. Strong, mature, capable, hardworking, mysterious, even sexy; but each of those descriptions is just one tiny facet of the whole, a pale facsimile of who I really am.

Unlike my juniors, I am a private man. I do not wear my heart on my sleeve for someone else to break. But I can lend it to her, if only for a night each time.

Power – Orihime Inoue

If Heaven ever found out about what he did, he would surely suffer. He came last night, a glowing being clad in flowing robes with silver wings, a secret guardian who stays by my side, listens to my problems and watches over me while I sleep. As long as he is near, I know that I am never alone. Can angels really lie with mortals? In his embrace, I grow stronger; like a piece of heaven was placed within me.

But when Rukia shared her power with Ichigo, she was sentenced to death. And I don't have the power to tell him to leave.

Responsibility – Hisagi Shuuhei 

It's an open secret that almost every shinigami has used a living human for sexual relief at some point. Though never encouraged, it is always easy to erase all trace of the event from their lives and maintain the secrecy of our existence. Aside from using contraception and the usual precautions against disease, we can always replace their memories, leaving them with nothing more than a very pleasant dream and a damp bedsheet in the morning. But I want to give her more than that, simply because I can.

Freedom – Orihime Inoue

I know I daydream a lot; but I also know my guardian angel is more than just a fantasy. He is real, but comes in many different forms depending on my wildest sensual desires. In a way, knowing that he doesn't mind being shaped so much by my imagination gives me total freedom to share my every secret fetish. Sometimes we do nothing but talk, or just cuddle a little. But I know he is real because when I ask him about himself; he tells me the same stories. It always soothes him and frees him from the pain he keeps locked within.

Imagination – Hisagi Shuuhei 

Orihime's imagination is incredibly powerful. The memory replacer causes her to remember her nighttime escapades with me as exciting encounters with glowing angels, vampire princes, aliens and far more bizarre and sensual beings. It's flattering to realize how highly she thinks of my skills in bed, to be remembered that way come morning. But the saddest and most beautiful thing of all is that each and every time I come, she asks me the same questions. How did I get the scars? What was it like growing up poor in Rukongai? What was Tousen like as a captain? I always tell her the same answers, and she always comforts me.

I don't bother to lie to her, because no matter what I say, it is forgotten by sunrise. I am nothing but a dream.

Reality – Orihime Inoue

Last night, my angel said I was the only person who has ever known how he truly feels. I told him he should talk to his friends more. Who else would he talk to when I die? He is really so lonely…and I wanted someone else to hold him if I no longer could.

I didn't know angels could cry. He looked so human last night; and took the form of a shinigami lieutenant with cute marks on his face, black spiky hair and a sleeveless top. Ichigo would die laughing if he ever found out about him; especially the part where he took out this funny machine that flashed a bright light and made a puff of smoke before saying goodbye.

Truth – Hisagi Shuuhei

She made a hot dog for me. That means she knew when I was coming. Worse, that's my favorite food. I gave her both these pieces of information before I used the memory replacer three days ago, which means…I am so dead. She is calling me by name now, telling me I'm hottest when I look like a shinigami.

My memory replacer must be broken! The mechanism's overcooked itself under the strain of shaping Orihime's massive creative ability night after night. I've got to get it fixed!

Justice – Orihime Inoue

He told me to stay put while he went to get something, and that he would be back soon. That was three hours ago. His food got cold so I put it back in the refrigerator. The phone is ringing. It's Ichigo, and arrancar have attacked. I have to help him deal with this. I cannot wait for Shuuhei any longer and leave him a note.

Ichigo's voice on the line tells me that the arrancar are led by a dark-skinned captain-class shinigami who wears goggles…

Mercy – Hisagi Shuuhei

On my return to Soul Society, the soutaichou was not pleased. I am to be detained for two days while someone else is sent to wipe her memory. Now I find myself in doubt. I have expected this day to come; and yet, why am I so disappointed?

Barely two hours later, Matsumoto arrives and frees me from my cell. She is shaken – Orihime is missing, and arrancar have appeared in Karakura Town. We will be bringing reinforcements.

Death – Orihime Inoue

So this is what it feels like. It hurts, but the pain is fading away. I am fading away, but after seeing what it's like on the other side, I'm not afraid. I will miss the rest…my angel, is he really here? _Please take care of them…_

Machines – Shuuhei Hisagi

We're too late. She's gone. Shinigami are taught at the Academy that knowing death is part of life is not enough, accepting death as a part of existence is essential. I, Hisagi Shuuhei; ace student of the Academy, should know better than to feel the way I do now. I remember a happier time when she said I was just like a Gundam – apparently we share several traits including a hard, chiseled body, warning stripes and printed numbers. Now I wish I was nothing more than a killing machine; I feel so hollow inside.

At least I have some comfort in knowing she took down Kaname Tousen with her.

Rebirth – Orihime Inoue 

Soul Society isn't heaven, but I'm privileged in having been here before so I have a better chance to look out for myself. The Shun Shun Rikka have followed me too, and I am not powerless. I shall trek to Sereitei to find Jidanbou at the West Gate. The guardian remembers me and Ichigo. I don't know what I'm supposed to expect, but I guess I can hope the shinigami will let me in. Perhaps the Fourth division could use another healer, or I could sit for the Academy entrance examination. I can't count on anything though.

Restoration – Hisagi Shuuhei

Yamamoto has summoned me again; surely for my failure to assist Ichigo and his team better. I am forced to explain that two hundred Ninth division shinigami arrived only to watch Tousen and Orihime slay each other. A whole minute passes in silence as he contemplates and I mourn. I ran out of tears long ago. His eyes are shut, even as an attendant arrives to whisper into his ear. I remain on my knees, wondering if he has fallen asleep, when his eyes suddenly open and he speaks.

According to the protocols of succession, my new captain awaits me at the West Gate.

Reunion – Orihime Inoue 

Jidanbou opens the gate to reveal hundreds of shinigami standing in two rows flanking either side of the entrance, all of them wearing sleeveless keikogi and looking at me expectantly. It suddenly strikes me as familiar sight, even though it makes me wonder if I'm dreaming. A massive hand ushers me in and the giant's bellowing voice announces…_my division_?! But I still think its nothing but a dream until I spot my angel amongst the heavenly host: Hisagi Shuuhei - lieutenant and companion, warrior and lover, and the essence of my dreams made flesh.

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**A/N: **One of three ways to become a captain in the Gotei 13 is to fight and defeat a captain in front of at least two hundred shinigami of said captain's division. In Bleach canon, only Kenpachi Zaraki has done that.

A sleeveless uniform is customary in the Ninth division, at least according to Wikipedia.


End file.
